Infinity
by Bill Friday
Summary: Human/Steampunk AU. when an underground war threatens Equestria, Celestia asks Twilight to escort a scientist and her sister on the airship Infinity. but things take a turn for the worse when the war comes to the massive airship. now Twilight and her new companion Donnie Shade must escape the ship to save their friends, while uncovering the truth of Twilight's mysterious mission.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"Hey… you awake yet?' Twilight heard a voice say to her. she slowly opened her eyes straining to see in the darkness. When her eyes had finally adjusted she checked her surroundings. She was in a hallway that looked to stretch to infinity in the darkness, doors lining the walls, the entire place as quiet as though it were abandoned, which it probably was, and it frightened her to her core.

"So you're awake now?"

Twilight jumped at the voice that seemed to had come from nowhere. She whipped her head around to see who it belonged and came to a young man sitting against the wall, his face hidden in the darkness. Using her magic, she conjured up a ball of light. When she was able to see his face, she immediately recognized him

"I know you." She said in a menacing whisper. "You're the guy who was crashing the party at our ballroom."

"Yeah I get that a lot". he said flatly, as though the concept wasn't new to him. "And with that tone too." He readjusted his position before continuing. "My name's Donnie Shade. And you are."

"Twilight Sparkle." She said already getting an impression of how he might act. "And also, where are we? And how long was I out" she asked as the situation had finally sunk in.

"You were out for a few hours, and as for where we are, it appears to be a hallway." He said bluntly. Twilight rolled at his obvious answer.

"Can you be more specific?" she said, the newcomer already beginning to get on her nerves.

"A hallway to the second class cabins." He said finally.

"How did we get here?" she asked. Donnie suddenly looked away in to the distance, taping his fingers against his knuckles.

"Something wrong?"

"Just thinking of how to say this without throwing you in to a panic."

"Try me."

"Okay you asked for it." Donnie took a deep breath, sighed, and then said. "There was an explosion." He said simply. Twilight stiffened at what he had said. Did she hear him right, or was she having some sort of delusion?

"Are you serious, there was an explosion?"

"What reason would I have to lie?"

Twilight suddenly felt the hallway tilt sideways, if there was an explosion, then that means the ship could go down, and they had very little time.

"we need to get out of here!"

"I think that was established a while ago." He said with a sigh. "so much for finally taking a much needed break."


	2. Griffon Taxi Airlines

**Griffon Taxi Airlines**

Several hours earlier.

Twilight opened her eyes as a groan came from the taxi airship she and her friends currently resided in. she turned towards her night stand, extending her darkly tanned hand towards the handmade fob watch that she received as a birthday gift from Apple Bloom, Applejacks younger sister and engineer apprentice. Twilight opened the watch and looked at the time.

6:33

_Damn time change_. She thought to herself as she put the watch back on the nightstand. She hated when she crossed time zones; she was either too late or too early for anything important, though the extra time didn't go to waste as she used it to work on her studies. This was not one of those times. In the right time, even the most dedicated student would hate being interrupted in the middle of their sleep. Twilight flipped her pillow to the cooler side before laying her head down again, hoping to wake up at a better time than this. Before closing her eyes, she looked at the letter she had received from princess Celestia days before, explaining her reason for the ride on the airship. She put the thought aside for a better time to think about and went back to sleep.

When she opened her eyes again, it had barley been fifty-five minutes. _Better than earlier._ She thought as she sat up and rubbed her tired eyes. She looked around her room, and it was very plain and anticlimactic, for lack of a better term; the walls were just yellow and pale yellow horizontal stripes that blended with each other, with the outer view porthole as the closest thing to a portrait. She looked to the right side of her bed and saw the bottle of apple cider that came with the room. She considered it for a bit before deciding against drinking her breakfast this morning and instead leaned to the left towards the mini fridge that was installed in to the night stand next to her bed, and pulled out a bottle of orange juice. It was when she began drinking from it did she notice the price card that was in front of it.

3.25$

If it were anyone else, they would have ruptured a blood vessel, but of course being sent on a special mission from Celestia, all expenses were paid. But the price was still outrageous as it is.

Twilight swung her legs off the side of her bed and let out a relatively big yawn, then walked towards her bags. She took of her nightgown and put in her bag and pulled out fresh clothes. After putting on her white button up blouse, and purple skirt, began combing her black and purple streaked hair. Once finished she gathered her things, thankful that the taxi will finally land in a matter of hours, and after two days of being stuck on a tiny zeppelin. Twilight stepped out of her cabin and walked down the hall until she came to a large opening that led to the taxi's lounge. She walked towards a table and set her bags down before going to small buffet where there was a small assortment of sliced bread, breakfast muffins, and cereals. After making her choice of a bagel and blueberry muffin, she walked back to her table where she saw someone already sitting there. He looked a little older than thirteen, and had on a purple undershirt and denim overalls that had a few tears in to the, and on his head was a mop of messy green hair that was held back in a ponytail on this day.

"Morning Twilight." Said spike, her constant companion and assistant, as well as her mechanic for her moped that she rarely left behind.

"Good morning spike." she responded as she sat in the seat in front. "How was the trip?"

"It was terrible." He said.

"Why?" Twilight asked, confused at his statement. "You love flying on airships."

"Yeah I do love riding on these. But the taxi ships are too common to be much of an eye catcher for me and any mechanic enthusiast." Spike sipped on his apple juice, before continuing.

"Still, riding this thing would be worth it once we get to the Infinity!" spike finished excitedly, but then remembered their reason for their trip. But before he could say anything, he was interrupted by a wave of dark blue hair and a blindingly white dress.

"Twilight, aren't you just excited about our trip?" Rarity asked her friend. "Oh I have been dreaming about this for ages, and now it finally came true." She continued before being stopped by Twilight, who had her serious face on.

"Rarity, we're on an escort mission from the princess, not a vacation." Rarity let her face go sour, and then sat on the seat next to spike, which caused him to blush furiously.

"Twilight," she began. "are you aware that we are headed to the Infinity, the most famous luxury airship of its class on its fiftieth anniversary, and all you can think about is the scientist and her sister that need to be safely brought from one side of Equestria, to the other unscathed to be hidden in some hole in the ground?. Is that correct?'

"Correct. And it's not a hole, it's a bunker." Twilight answered. Rarity pouted, then got up and before leaving, she magically produced a dark blue package, and tossed it to Twilight, who caught it.

"When you're ready to have fun on this job, put that on, and meet me at the ball room of our section." With that she left.

"I'm just gonna, uh." Spike said, sliding from his seat while awkwardly deciding on an excuse to do with the dress maker.

"Just go." Twilight said finally saving the young mechanic some loss of dignity.

When he was out of earshot, another voice called out twilight. "She's right you know." twilight turned towards the voice. At the table across was a blond woman in her late teens, her hair done up in a ponytail with a pair of denim pants and a yellow flannel shirt with its sleeves rolled up. Her most distinguishing feature was her left arm, at least what was supposed to be her arm. Instead there was a mechanical brass arm which ticked and click as it moved, something she received courtesy of a tractor incident a few years back.

"What do you mean Applejack?"

"I'm saying she's right; we're going on a luxury airship on its fiftieth anniversary no less, but all you can think about is the mission we've been assigned."

"What are you getting at?"

"Remember the incident when you put a love charm on one of your old dolls?" twilight sat back down as the memory came back to haunt her. "You have to let loose every once in a while, especially when an opportunity like this presents itself."

Twilight looked at her plate as she took in applejacks words.

"I'll leave you to think about it." Applejack said, flicking her brass arm and producing a small knife from her wrist, using it to cut her bagel. "Also, you should think about Rarity's offer." Retracting the knife after spreading some cream cheese, she took a bite from her bagel and proceeded to have her breakfast.

"But I do let loose every now and again." Twilight mumbled to herself as she levitated a muffin to her mouth.

On the other side of the taxi lounge is a bar area where shelves with gins and spirits from around the country where the taxies have traveled, and where some travelers decide to drink their breakfast. Sitting there was a trio of friends, two young men, and a young girl, all of them appearing to be in their late teens, having a shared breakfast plate of what was available.

"I'm finally glad to be out of that damned studio. I thought you'd never loosen up Shadow." Said the girl, her ruby red hair tied in a ponytail, her white blouse tucked in her black skirt.

"Well we all needed a break anyway violet." Said the man next to her with a Trotish accent, his short black hair under a black fedora that went well with his three piece suit. "Plus I was exhausted."

"You're always exhausted." Said the last one of them; He resembled the first boy, only his skin was a darker tone, and his hair was in a stubby ponytail with a blue streak through it, and he had no accent. The sleeves of his button up shirt were rolled up, and he wore a black vest over it.

"Shut up Donnie. Plus I'm not the one who falls asleep while developing some very important film." Said shadow as he took a bite out of a bagel.

"That happens one time, and you never let me forget it." Donnie replied irritably, but quickly recovered his composure. "But that doesn't matter right now. Not to mention it's the perfect time to test out my dragon model sky hook." He said excitedly.

"I thought those things were banned." Violet said in confusion.

"They banned people from _selling_ them. Plus there are some who can make their own." Shadow said.

"That's a very big loophole." Violet said.

"I know right?" Donnie said excitedly, as though he were showing off am impressive device he made.

"Besides should enjoy the simple pleasures, especially with the turmoil that's been going on." Shadow said.

"You mean the underground war that's been happening in front of our noses?" violet said.

"Quiet," shadow warned in a low whisper. "You don't want the same thing to happen to you like those reporters. The one who got the news out barely got away." He said referring to the story where the investigative reporter had lost half his toes before miraculously escaping.

Then a loud ring suddenly rattled through the ship, startling all the passengers.

"Attention everyone, this is your captain speaking," boomed the intercom. "We will be arriving in Los Pegasus within the hour, so we ask you to please pack up your belongings. We will not be responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged items. Once again we thank you for choosing Griffon Taxi airline."

"It's about time." Said Violet as she picked up her travel bag, as well as her camera equipment.

"Infinity here we come." Donnie said picking up his bag and camera case.

"How original." Shadow said sarcastically, which earned him a solid punch in the arm from Donnie. "Let's just get a move on." Slinging his bag on one hand and his camera in the other.

"Now who's being original?" Donnie said.

"Keep talking, I have a metal camera case that can supposedly survive a hundred foot drop. Want to help me test it out?" Shadow viciously replied. The three of them remained silent until they had left the airship, and then picked up a cab to take them to the luxury airship boarding station.

"Taking an airship to go on a different airship. How poetic." Violet said as the cab continued to their destination.

Meanwhile, the group of six had departed the ship and were now standing out on the street looking for the geneticist they were assigned to protect.

"Where is she?' Rainbow Dash said, moving her rainbow hair away from her face that the wind was blowing in.

"I was told she'd know who we are." Twilight said.

"And you were told correct." They heard a confident and affirmed voce say. They turned to see a very pretty young woman, she looked to be in her mid twenties, her black hair tied in a ponytail, wearing a simple dress with a matching bowler hat. "Jean Scarlet." She introduced herself. "Canterlot University's head geneticist. And this is my sister Rose." She indicated to a girl in her early teen who bore a striking resemblance to her, except that she wore her hair down, framing her face and features."

"hello." She said with slight nervousness.

"And I'm pretty sure you know who we are." Rainbow Dash said with egotism.

"Yes I've heard of the six of you. And not to be rude, but can we move on, this trip is somewhat important." She said hurriedly.

"Okay, we understand." Said Twilight. "so how do we get to the platform? Do we walk?" Twilight asked.

"Well you most certainly don't need to walk." She said with a smile that suggested smugness. She indicated to the street behind them. Parked on the sidewalk was a black, elongated vehicle.

"you hired out limousine ?" Rarity asked with a mixture of disbelief and adoring eyes.

"Oooohhhh, is it like one of those party busses? Because I've always wanted to use one of those but now I can have a party in a car." Pinkie Pie rambled at the speed of a bullet breaking the sound barrier.

"Is she always like that?" rose asked Fluttershy, who simply shrank back bashfully not wanting to sound like she was bad mouthing her friend.

"Well, I believe we all have something to do." Rarity said after Pinkie Pies ear splitting tirade. "now lets all get in the limmo and head on with our assignment." She said while urging in Fluttershy before her, her eagerness betrayed by her voice.

Once in the car, everyone had wandered to do their own thing. Pinkie looked through the part function of the vehicle, bringing out bursts of confetti, or a sound track that shortly broke the silence, Rarity was knocking back some of the champagnes that came in the car alongside applejack and trading anecdotes like anyone having a drink would, spike simply sat next to applejack, admiring Rarity from a distance that seemed almost cute, Fluttershy sat with rose exchanging mutual comments about each other, Rainbowdash stayed in her seat, fidgeting and wanting to get up and move, leaving Jean and Twilight sitting together in deafening silence. Finally it was Twilight who broke the silence.

"so you're a geneticist? A highly unlikely subject for targeting."

"It's actually more common than you think."

"What do you mean?"

"Well in the field that I work on is rather controversial and it brings up a lot of arguments. And quite often it can go a little too far.

"Oh I get it." Twilight said as the pieces began falling in to place. "so they target you solely out of blind hatred."

"In simple terms yes."

"And what is it you've done that's causing such an uproar?" Twilight asked in earnest.

"that's private I'm afraid." Jean said. Then the car came to a halt. "Looks like we're here." Jean said as she stepped out of the limmo. When everyone had come outside, they looked up to the massive ship floating above them, its top resembling large skyscrapers like a city floating in the sky, among the buildings were twisting railway carrying large boxes of supplies through the ship. The juggernaut altogether looked simply amazing.

"lady's," said spike, looking up on the ship in admiring aw. "I give you, the Infinity."


	3. Champagne and two Black Beers

**to those that may or may not have not have noticed this story is semi-inspired by Bioshock Infinite, which has not come out yet, but the only relevance is the setting and the skylines, so theres no spoilers, any other similarities to annything else is pure coincidence.**

* * *

**Champagne and two Black Beers**

9:33 pm

Twilight looked over herself in the mirror, wearing the dress Rarity had made for her. it was a dark blue strapless gown that fell just below her knees, the torso a lighter blue color that came with a beret od a crescent moon that she used to hold up her hair. It looked appropriate for what had been a plan for her relief of stress concocted by her friends, a night of partying and binge drinking is what they apparently thought would help her relax, but honestly she didn't know if it would work either. Best to try it out since they don't want any other incidents. Then there was the sound of a door opening.

"Hey Twilight," Rainbow Dash said as she barged in, dressed in a sky blue evening gown. "Hurry up, were all leaving."

"You know that knocking exists right?" Twilight said sternly.

"Not if you're in a hurry."

"And are we in a hurry?"

"I am anyway." Rainbow said before finally taking off.

_At least I want changing._ Else she had an opportunity to tease her of her tomboy nature and gotten a verbal lashing. But of course she'd shrug it off and continue being friends. Then there was a knock on the door. Twilight walked towards the door and looked out the view hole. She opened the door after seeing who it was. "Hi Rose."

"Hello Miss twilight." She said. She wore a light blue and white evening gown, and her hair had been brushed to a shine, apparently she was also being treated for a night out.

"You look very pretty tonight Rose." Twilight said, making her blush.

"Thank you, you look pretty too." Twilight gave a heartfelt smile before Rose continued. "I heard that you're Celestia's apprentice."

"That's right. But why do you ask?" Rose hesitated, as though nervous at what she was going to say. "is something wrong? Also shouldn't you be asleep already?"

"I'm not a little kid, I'm fourteen."

"That's still pretty young." Rose merely growled before calming down.

"Can I ask you something in the hallway?" Rose said looking slightly nervous.

"Sure, I was leaving anyway." She said walking out the room, and locking the door. They began down the hallway, Rose looking down as though she were thinking on how to ask her question. "Is something the matter?"

"No, it's just; I don't know how to say it."

"Well take your time." Twilight told her, rustling her hair.

* * *

"Well boys, what do you think?" Violet said as she walked in the room, tossing her bags in one of the chairs, and throwing herself face down on the bed.

"You've certainly outdone yourself." Shadow said, dropping his bags to the floor and slumping in a chair. "I'm just surprised Donnie didn't say anything when you talked to the receptionist."

"Hey I really wanted a better room." Donnie replied as he walked in and set his bags on the ground next to Shadow's.

"Oh c'mon, it's not like we're together Donnie."

"Oh I wouldn't be too sure about that." Shadow said as he produced a tin out of his pocket and rolled himself a cigarette. "The way you two get together makes it look like you are." Just then Donnie jumped and landed on top of Violet, wrapping his arms around her. "example." Shadow finished off pointing them out with his joint.

"Those are just one time things." Donnie said.

"So says the guy that's holding me against my will." Violet said, trying very little to get out of his grip.

"Then why aren't you trying harder." He said as he pulled her blouse from her skirt and slipped his hand underneath it, and he slowly crept his hand towards her chest. He was inches away until he felt a jab on his side and had the air knocked out of him. He pulled his hand away and gripped his side, cringing in pain while violet got up off the bed and tucking in her blouse.

"Not right now Romeo."

"You crazy ginger bitch." Was all he managed to choke out. Then he glared at Shadow.

"Hey I don't mind having a little show. I mean I did get trapped in your closet a few times when I looked for stuff to steal."

"Did you really get trapped?" Violet replied as she picked up her travel bag and went in to the bathroom

"Fine, I got trapped _most_ of the time."

"That's better." She said through the bathroom door. "You boys getting ready?" violet called out.

"Ready for what?" Donnie asked, finally recovering from his injury, courtesy of Violet.

"Going out dumbass, what else is there?"

"There's the skyline." Shadow said

"I know, but we need to get you a girl."

"See there buddy?" Donnie said getting up with mock kindness. "We still think about you."

"Oi, I'm single by choice okay."

"So are we shadow."

"Then why do you get in to be together?" shadow said smugly.

"That's a 'friends with benefits' thing." He said defensively as he walked towards the chair his bag was in.

"And what do you benefit from this?"

"We get laid as much as we want with no ridicule from others."

"Oh, So it's a defensive angle."

"Shut up and get dressed."

* * *

"I thought you might turn up." Applejack said as twilight walked to their tabled with rose alongside her.

"Well I said I let loose once in a while." She said sitting down at the table.

"Only because we convinced you."

"Well yes there was that. But I'm here now."

"And I see you're wearing the dress I made for you." Rarity said.

"What else could I have?" rarity looked at her awkwardly realizing that twilight doesn't have much party wear

"Yes, well… waiter bring us some champagne please."

"And a few black beers." Rainbow Dash added.

"You're really not going to drink those all on your own are you?" rarity said eyeing Rainbow at her choice of drink.

"Not unless someone else wants some, yes."

"Well can you at least not do your habit of chugging it down like some fraternity pledge."

"No promises."

"You're friends sure are interesting." Jean said to Twilight.

"Stick around, it'll get better." Twilight remarked sarcastically.

"I take it you know what'll happen."

"All too clearly." She said after taking a sip of champagne.

"Well this is only a guess, but the fiasco at the gala a few years ago was you and your friends." It was a statement, not a question.

"You guessed right."

"Tell me more, I'm rather interested." jean asked with an interested smile.

* * *

"This is soooo boring." Donnie complained.

"Well I guess crashing the first class ballroom with our vulgar party clothes didn't work." Violet said in defeat.

"Not really the first time that happened though." Shadow said raising an eyebrow at her.

"Hey my plans have worked before."

"Count ten right off the top of your head." Violet hesitated as she searched her mind for his answer.

"uhhh… well they worked every other time." Then Donnie walked away from them.

"Well I'll leave you top your lovers quarrel. Meanwhile I'm gonna have my own fun."

"I thought we were together." Violet cried out to Donnie before realizing what she said. "oh its not like that." Donnie walked as shadow began snickering sadistically. He made his way out the ball room and to the roof. The sky was dark, and the ship was flooded with lights that showed streets like an entire city, people walking the streets as they enjoyed their high flying cruise. It was magnificent, but that wasn't what he had come out for. There was a loud clang sound, like a rollercoaster making its steep ascent. Donnie looked and saw the skyline of the infinity; long tracks that wind and bend around the buildings making the ships supply transport, but often there would be more than just cargo up on the lines. On the skylines Donnie could just make out the small shapes in the dark, of people jumping off and landing on the floating rails, he saw as a small group of them rode past him he looked at them as he pulled out his own sky hook, three claws facing one direction in a windmill form, its motor within a wooden casing that straps to ones forearm. He took a few steps back before taking a leap of faith, holding out his left arm, and seconds later, the hook connected. He began to ascend, the awareness of being hundreds of feet from the ground with no safety net poured adrenaline through his body, even though there were rarely any death of falling from the sky line. He looked up and waited till he reached the zenith of the rail, then he jumped off to another rail, propelling him even faster, making gut-wrenching turns and plummeting several feet, then being pulled back up, before leaping off to a roof and taking a running start to a far off rail. This was what he loved, this is what he did, equal only to his love of film, then there was a loud explosion, that caused the hook to disconnect and throwing him straight through a window, seconds later he passed out.

* * *

"Did you guys hear that?" applejack said.

"What was that?" Fluttershy squeaked nervously.

"Probably nothing." Spike said reassuringly.

"What makes you say that?" rarity asked.

"Well for one thing the sound was too small to be any important part of the ship, and if it were they toss it out before any real damage happened."

"And are you sure of this?"

"Trust me. I'm an engineer." Suddenly there was another explosion, only it sounded closer, spikes face suddenly turning worried.

"Is it alright to be worried?" Rarity asked with panic in her voice.

"Well like I said it was too small." Then there was a large crash, that's when the bullets started to fly.

* * *

"What the hell is this!" violet yelled out as she took cover behind an upturned table.

"It a wedding, and the bride and groom exchanged their vows, it's a fucking shoot out and we're in the cross fires." Shadow yelled back.

"No need to be so harsh."

"Sorry, but that's how I am when I'm being shot at."

"Can we stop talking and get out of here?" in response, shadow grabbed her hand before she could finish. They ran and ducked behind tables and chairs while avoiding stray bullets that could hit them. Then a realization came to Violet.

"Donnie, we forgot about Donnie." She said with fear.

"Don't worry; he can take care of himself."

"But he's outside."

"That just gives him a." but he never finished because that's when he got pistol whipped in the head, putting his lights out.

* * *

The first thing that Donnie noticed as he came to was the ballroom, and how it was in complete chaos; tables were upturned, people were screaming and running, tables were overturned and people ducking behind them, he wondered what was going on until his hearing came back, that's when he heard the bullets flying by his head.

"What the fuck!"

"Hey you!" he heard a rough gravelly voice say. He looked and saw that he was looking at the barrel of a semi-automatic rifle. "Get up, or ill drop you." Yelled the man with the gun.

"Okay man, I don't want more trouble." Said Donnie as he slowly got up with his hands in front of him. When he got up the man jabbed with the gun, which was when Donnie clocked him in the jaw, and took his and shot him in the back. Don't underestimate your hostage." Donnie said before quickly ducking back down as gunfire came his way to assess the situation. If this was a terrorist operation, they had to be very powerful to take a Juggernaut airship. And it also meant that they need hostages for whatever ransom they have, so they'll be heavily guarded, and he can't take all of the terrorists on his own, especially on the infinity, as big as it is. So he's going to have to escape on his own, and inform the government before they take complete control of the ship.

_Sorry guys._ He thought to himself, knowing that he'll have to abandon his friends in order to save them. He waited in a solitary corner under a table until all the firing and shouting had subsided. He looked over his table to see the massive ballroom completely in shambles. Tables were overturned, holes riddled the walls, there was broken glass from the bottles and glasses, there was not a soul except for the scouts looking for any survivors. He quickly noticed someone approaching him. He ducked under the table and waited for the man to come. When he did, he sprang out and put his hands around his neck. Seconds later the man passed out. Donnie took his rifle, along with the pistol that came with a silencer. He slowly made his way around the other scouts to reach the door, but stopped when he heard someone groan. He looked to his left and saw a pretty girl in a dark blue evening gown, dark sin and black hair with a purple streak through it.


	4. Shadows in the Halls

**Shadows in the Hall**

"We need to get out of here." Twilight said.

"Like we didn't know that already Sherlock." Donnie said. "c'mon, I know a short cut to the escape ships." Then Twilight stopped dead in her tracks. "What is it?" Donnie asked in annoyance.

"My friends." She said with deep worry in her voice. "We have to go find them."

"I'm afraid that's not possible." Donnie said as he turned and walked off. "now hurry, we don't-." buy he was stopped by a harsh hand grabbing his shoulder, and being forcefully turned towards Twilight, her face a picture of the utmost rage that can only rival a pissed off manticore. Yet she manages to have a very pretty face that Donnie would admire if he had the time.

"Look here buster," she said, jabbing a finger at him, her voice rising in anger with every word. "I don't care that you think that this is a life or death, every man for himself type of game, but I actually have friends that I have every intention of finding and getting out of this whole ship. And no way are you going to talk me out of abandoning them just to save my skin." Twilight expected the young man to slap her hand away, and making some overused "it's your funeral" line. Instead he grabbed it gently and lowered it to her side.

"Listen Twilight, I know how much you want to get to your friends right now, and that's very noble of you. But you always have to factor in the situation that you're caught in."

"Situation?" she asked bewildered. There was another explosion. She turned her head towards it, and it sounded too close to be a boiler. "I'm starting to doubt that it was a boiler that time." Then she heard a loud sort of clicking sound, like shells being loaded in to a shotgun. She looked to see Donnie loading a shot gun. "What is that thing!" she asked in terror.

"insurance." He said as he cocked it and aimed it down the hall. "You might want to cover your ears." He said as footsteps were suddenly heard.

"Wait, are you?" she began to ask as people had begun to appear from the hall. Then all hell broke loose as Donnie fired a shell in to the first man that pointed a gun at him, and cocked the shot gun, while more armed men started to come in and start firing.

"Time to run." He declared as he got up and grabbed on to Twilight's hand, pulling her through the dim hallway as the bullets began flying by. Twilight felt the adrenalin pumping in her body, seeing everything as though time has slowed down, being able to see the bullets whiz by, all her lung capacity being used to pump air in to her. Donnie however had kept calm under fire, as though it has happened to him before, keeping a firm grip on the girls hand, keeping his eyes ahead for the first sign of possible safety that came in a connecting hallway up ahead. He turned the corner and stopped immediately, placing himself and Twilight against the wall, keeping her back with his hand. They both took in deep panting breaths as they tried to recover themselves.

"What the hell is going on?" Twilight asked as the last few seconds had sunken in. Donnie took a few more deep breaths before starting.

"A Terrorist take over." He said.

"Terrorist?"

"I had the same reaction." He said when the bullets had begun flying once again. "let's keep moving."

"Well that's observant of you." She said in mock admiration as he took hold of her hand again lead led to the way out.

Twilight and Donnie roamed the hallway for what felt like hours, running in to groups of soldiers that they would try to avoid, or dispatch. After a while they decided to stop and rest deciding that their current position seemed to be safest for the moment. Twilight slumped on the wall across from Donnie who kept the machine gun that he plucked from a guard he took care of at the ready, while he slung his newly acquired shotgun across his shoulder. She closed her eyes, rubbing her hands on her face as her mission from the Princess had been compromised within hours.

"Oh I can't believe this is happening." She moaned as her hands fell to her sides.

"I know," Donnie said giving a light chuckle. "Shitty way to kick off our vacation."

"To you maybe."

"What do you mean?" Twilight lifted her head looking Donnie straight in the eye.

"You said that we're not _able _to help our friends." She said with sadness. "I think I understand it now." It was Donnie's turn to feel sad as he readjusted his position, keeping one leg extended, and the other bent propping up the machine gun on his knee.

"Way to beat around the bush." He said.

"I'll keep my business to myself and so should you."

"If you say so." Donnie stood up and walked to a door while Twilight kept her eye on him. He tested the door hand and saw it was locked.

"What did you expect?" she said.

"That this would be quieter and easier." He said before putting away the machine gun, and unslinging the shot gun, and pumping a shell in the doorknob. Twilight quickly covered her ears before the blast shattered her eardrums.

"What the Fuck was that for?" she yelled as her heart sped up knowing that someone had heard it.

"Our clothes, we have to change them." Twilight tilted her head and raised a brow at the confusing remark.

"Why do we have to change?" Donnie suddenly turned his head towards her so quickly that she was surprised it didn't snap off.

"we are in a Juggernaut air ship filled with a hundred maniacs looking to fight each other to the death, and the only want were gonna save everybody is to run and gun our way to one of those escape ships and haul ass out of here to inform Celestia of what's happening before things go from bad to bat shit insanely dangerous. And we're not going to maneuver this place so easily if I'm in a tight as hell tuxedo and you're wearing a bulky blue dress." For some crazy reason his words had a lot of charisma, and enough sense to be believable rather than sound like, and Twilight found herself trusting the man that she had just met hours before. But there was one last thing that was never going to leave her until she spoke it.

"But why are we staling clothes?" she said, which got her another neck-breaking look as they walked around the room looking for any scrap of clothes.

"Have you been listening to what I said? There's no way that we'll be making it to our cabins alive just for a change of fresh clothes. Besides I doubt these people will miss what we take if they survive this ordeal." Once again Twilight found herself making sense of the young man's words. It was starting to become very frightening. But she shrugged it off for now.

After 'borrowing' a new set of clothes, Donnie with a white cotton button up shirt, black vest, and black pants that were a little baggie, but still made it better for maneuvering. While Twilight had a dark blue vest and white cotton shirt with a black skirt that allowed her to run in. they walked out the room and looked to the left, then right and left again before continuing. They walked around the halls for what might have been several hours, running into a few pairs of soldiers before hiding from their gaze, or dispatching them, which made Twilight feel unnerved, but it was either her or them. Out of nowhere Twilight had a sudden epiphany.

"What are we going to do?" Twilight asked suddenly realizing that they had never had a plan to begin with.

Donnie simply responded with "we find a map of the ship, plot a course, and abandon ship."

"Sounds really simple." She responded with monotone, prompting Donnie to sigh with frustration.

He said. "Fine, we find a map, plot out course, and then we _shoot_ our way out until we get to the ships. Is that a little better?" Twilight was about to respond when they suddenly stopped. He looked at the walls as though something had gone missing.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"haven't you noticed that we haven't got to any escape route map the whole time we've been walking through the halls and going up and down the steps." Twilight had suddenly noticed it as well as she took a closer look and noticed two pairs of holes of where a plaque should be.

"Damn it they tore it out of the wall." Twilight exclaimed in annoyance as she put her hand to her brow.

"Shit these guys are too smart aren't they?" as Donnie said those words, footsteps could be heard around the corner, along with the clinking of guns against one another. "Oh no." Donnie said as Twilight quickly ran to the first door she saw and magicked the lock open. They wasted no time and rushed in, closing the door behind them. They sat beside the door, their ears pressed against the door listening for when the soldiers had walked off, and their breath slow and regulated as they hoped that they won't be paranoid enough to check every room. They listen to the footsteps, noticing the pace was rushed and stumbling, as though they were carrying a wounded soldier, where they stopped in front of the door. They both suddenly held their breath as their hearts began beating in their throats, threatening to pop a vein.

"Dammit, that psycho bitch stabbed me. I couldn't even see the knife." They heard the assumed wounded man, his breath ragged and labored.

Another man who sounded old with a gravelly voice said "can't blame you, she hid in in that brass arm of hers." Twilight's heart skipped a beat at those words.

"What about the rainbow haired freak?" said a woman who sounded around Twilight's age.

"Don't worry; I clipped her after the redneck stabbed me. Gha!" the wounded man grunted as if talking were giving him pain, which it probably was.

"Damn it Mitchell, keep pressure on that wound." The woman said, but Twilight paid no attention to her, she had stopped after hearing about rainbow and how she was shot.

"Rainbow Dash." She whispered as she placed her back against the door and slowly slid down. Donnie turned his head towards her; at least she assumed it unable to know in the black darkness.

"You know them?" he asked. But she didn't hear him for her heart began to race not out of the adrenaline, but out of her brewing fury at hearing that her friends could be dead by the hand of the man standing out the door. She then enveloped herself in a purple aura that faded a second later. "Twilight, what are you." But before he said any more she forced her fist through the door and grabbed the first thing she could grab, and the man in to the now lit room. The other two soldiers were dumbstruck, giving Donnie time to aim his shot gun at them. "Don't move, or ill pump full of buckshot." He said to them.

Twilight meanwhile was holding up the man whom Applejack had wounded in an aura of her magic. "Where are they?" she demanded in a dark and threatening monotone.

"What are you talking about?" the man asked, terrified at being suspended in midair.

"The redneck and rainbow haired freak you son of a bitch." She said, her voice rising with every word as she suddenly increased her hold on his throat.

"Dammit, I don't know, they ran off after I fired the shot." He said through his constricted airway, obviously struggling to get a word from his mouth. Donnie heard the man's struggling to breathe, and called out.

"Twilight, I know what you're doing, you need to calm down before you do something too rash." He said in a calm monotone, hoping to get her to her senses.

"Didn't you hear what he said?" she yelled to him. He quickly looked towards, a soon to be regretted reflex.

"Yes I heard, but yo-." Suddenly he felt a blunt force to his head as he felt the carpeted ground slam him in the face, quickly followed by his arms being held behind him, and the barrel of a gun pointed to his head.

"Put him down, or ill blow his brains on the floor!" yelled the old man. Twilight looked to the old man, and saw that he had Donnie on the ground, with the woman holding Donnie's own gun against his head.

"Keep a grip on his throat so you have-." Donnie managed to scream out before the woman gaged him. She did as he said while she heard the cocking of a shot gun. She looked over as the woman said.

"You really want to bet his life to see which one of us is faster." Twilight held her own as she assessed what she was facing: she had a wounded man in her grip whose throat she's ready to crush while a young man she barely knew, yet she stuck with him because he kept her safe and alive for no reason, was held on the ground while his own gun was pointed at him. It was as difficult as stalemates got.


	5. Stalemate

**Stalemate**

Twilight Sparkle kept her telekinetic grip on the soldier as his companions held Donnie on the floor, his own gun turned against him.

"Put him down." Yelled the old man as the girl brandished the shotgun. With the adrenaline levels down twilight was able to get a good focus on the terrorists. The old man looked to be in his late forties, his black hair thinning but enough to show that he had fought recently, his army jacket looking like it had been through a lot of rough battles, along with his denim pants. The girl looked had red frizzled hair, her clothes looked like the old mans, but looked less worn out and shriveled.

"do what he says." Groaned the man Twilight held as he held a hand to his wound. Twilight looked at her hostage, then back at the other soldiers holding down Donnie, unknowing what to do; she had never been in a situation like this before, and she had never looked at how to settle a hostage negotiation.

"What are you waiting for little girl? Bring him here!" the old man yelled. Seconds pass before Twilight finally had recovered her senses completely.

"How do I know you won't try to take us?" she said sternly. Twilight looked at Donnie and saw that he was signaling that she was going the right direction.

"Do you really want to see your friend dead?" the woman threatened. Twilight looked back at Donnie, signaling to threaten them back.

"You want to see _your_ friend die?" Donnie gave a smile through his gag, but it didn't last as he got pistol whipped by his own gun once again. But that obviously struck a chord with them, because they visibly tensed. Twilight held back a smile as she began to gain more of an edge. The woman and man looked at each other, as though they were discussing their negotiation. Finally they looked back at Twilight.

"How are you sure that he isn't expandable?" the woman said, to which twilight immediately responded.

"If he were, you would have shot me already along with him." Twilight looked at them, knowing that they wouldn't try to shoot them this far in. they looked at each other again in their telepathic type negotiations.

"If you let our friend go, we'll leave the both of you alone." Said the old man.

"Untie my friend and give him his gun." As Twilight said this, Donnie regained conciseness, looking relived that he was still alive.

"Why would we want that done?" Said the woman.

"I just want to assure our deal." Twilight explained

"Fair enough." The woman said as she pulled out a .45 out of her pocked, as the old man worked on cutting his bonds. Once free, Donnie snatched his shotgun from where the woman placed it while keeping the barrel of his gun aimed at them, while the woman kept her revolver also aimed at him.

As Donnie backed from his former captors, Twilight levitated the man identified as Mitchell from the wall, bringing him to his comrades.

"Mitchell you okay?" asked the old man. But was obvious he was too weak to answer.

"He sounds like he won't make it." Said the woman.

Hearing this, Twilight looked at her hostage and saw the wound that applejack had left him with, noticing that he had become weaker and looked like he were half dead. The it suddenly dawned on her that the man could have turned out fine by his companions if she had controlled herself; he would at least be patched up and had been to a medic, but not only had she delayed them, she held him suspended, and had threatened his life, only worsening his condition. Now he may not make it, unless if they knew some haling magic, which by their encounter suggested that, they didn't. And at the same time an idea came to her.

"Let me help him with that." Twilight said indicating Mitchell's wound, which prompted an are-you-out-of-your-mind? Look from Donnie.

"Why would you do that?" said the woman.

"Good question!" Donnie blurted out in a comical manner.

"Look, they were helping their friend and I got in the way of letting them help him, so it only makes sense." Twilight explained harshly.

"Yeah, if you want to get caught." Donnie retorted.

"We don't have time to argue, alright. If I don't do this he might die."

"And we should care because?" but Twilight ignored him as she walked towards Mitchell.

"Is it going to hurt?" he asked weakly over losing a gratuitous amount of blood.

"To what I'm doing, only a little." She looked up to his companions. "What are your names?" she asked which took them by surprise, but they answered anyway.

"I'm Hershel, and the young woman here is Sapphire." The old man told her.

"Hershel, Sapphire, this is only a temporary fix, so it he won't be alright right away. You need to take him to a doctor right away."

"understood." Said Sapphire.

"Remind me why you're doing this." Donnie demanded, still keeping his shot gun trained on them. Twilight looked over the man's wound, and began her spell. Mitchell cringed as Twilight worked on his gage, but it was worth not losing his life. When she was done, she was breathing heavily, as if she had done a quick sprint in the hallway.

"That should be enough." Twilight told them.

"Can we ask you a question?" sapphire said.

"What is it?"

"Why do this if we're the enemy?"

"What do you think I've been asking this whole time?" Donnie said.

"Enemy or not, I never want to be responsible for taking someone's life, especially when they have no way to defend themselves."

"Well thank you." Said Hershel as he put Mitchell's arm over him. They started leaving, before Mitchell made them stop ad turned.

He looked at twilight and said: "we saw your two friends three floors up from here. The least I can do." He finished off before finally leaving."

Donnie and Twilight stood in the hallway a good time before he turned to her with a smile that said that he had figured out a subplot to her helping hand.

"You wanted to make sure that they would owed one didn't you?"

"Part of it was, but not entirely."

"Well good luck because I think you were being a little to cocky." He said sternly as he walked began down the hall.

"I beg your pardon?" responded Twilight as she began after him. "I think I have just laid a secure position for us."

"Secure position?" Donnie said in a doubtful tone, still walking the hall. "The next chance they get they'll be after us trying to shoot our asses, and then throwing them in jail."

"Well I don't think they'll do that." She said finally catching up to him.

"And that is?"

"They were helping their friend."

"So would any solders in a war."

"And they had a chance to shoot the both of us but they didn't did they?" a smile was beginning to play on her lips.

"And that makes you think they'll let us off the hook?"

"Yes." Donnie rolled his eyes at her simple answer.


	6. The Wanderers

**The Wanderers **

Rose looked over the corner of the wall, seeing the guards near the air vent close to the floor of the cargo rooms- probably using them as make shift brigs- run to the soldier that she had knocked out seconds earlier, and she only had seconds now. With her heart pumping in her throat she made a mad dash to the air vent, the adrenaline in her body made time look as though it were slow. it would be useful, if it were real, but really it's as much an illusion as it gets. With her adrenal fueled strength she yanked the grate off the vent, bruising and cutting her fingers a bit, but that could matter less. She quickly slipped inside and started crawling the vents on her has and knees, her skirt occasionally making her slip. Minutes later she stopped at a corner, sat down, and let herself let out a sigh of relief that she had managed to get away from those goons. As it was she barely got to the vent without getting caught by those goons, it was a maze of luggage towers, and crates, makeshift tunnels that the workers probably put up; that actually made sense seeing the twist and turns that could confuse the Minotaur. She looked to the right and saw a grate on the bottom of the vent shaft. She heard voices talking; she could barely make out the words, but heard enough to know her sister was able to get away. Rose relaxed a good bit; she wasn't surprised that this takeover would happen the same day she and her sister were transported, she always told herself she'd be a good crime novel writer, if she survived this ordeal first. She wasted no more time as she started to crawl somewhere that had less people trying to shoot each other, until she heard the last few words as she crawled away, that was when her blood turned cold.

* * *

Donnie felt the sweat on the back of his neck roll down as he continuously kept his shot gun up at the ready, fearing that they would run in to another uniform of soldiers.

"Don't you believe it's a little too risky?" he asked Twilight.

"If it means finding my friends, then so be it." She's had this attitude for around an hour as they wandered the hall looking for Twilights friends, with Donnie insisting that they might not find them, and Twilight always being too stubborn to just let it go.

"Listen, I admire your determination to find your friends, but there is a possibility that they might have gotten caught… again."

"Flap your lip all you want, but if my friends have eve-."

"Yes okay I get it." He interrupted. "I guess I underestimated your resilience."

"Thank you." She said with a smug smile. They continued down the hallway, avoiding any soldiers that would come by, or otherwise if they had no other choice. They continued looking for Applejack and Rainbow Dash as a familiar nagging sensation came to Twilight, one that came the same day she heard of the war.

"Hey Donnie." She began as he slit an unsuspecting soldier's throat. Looking away she continued. "you seem to know a lot about guns and combat."

"I have a brother in the military if that's what you're asking."

"Well not exactly what I was gonna ask, but thanks anyway." She said as they continued on their search. "No, what I want to know is what is the reasoning." He looked at her with a puzzled look.

"Reasoning for what?"

"For this war."

"You mean between the Herculeans, and Hydras?"

"Yeah. I only read about the fighting, but not the actual reasons." Donnie then cracked the biggest smile that seemed humanly possible as he looked at Twilight with a cocked eyebrow.

"What makes you think that I know anything about all their fighting?"

"I didn't, I was just bluffing to see if you did since you mentioned their names."

"The factions' names have been up since the war was discovered."

"Untrue since I have a friend who brings me a copy of the paper, and the names aren't coming up yet." Donnie suddenly halted, lowering his shot gun and cracking a smile that said how impressed he was with her way of tricking an answer from him.

"You know I never met someone who can trick an answer from someone as well as I can." He said with humility. He looked ahead again as he began to explain.

"You do know the story of Heracles and his tasks right?"

"Heracles?"

"The real name the hero was given, so as you can guess who are the ones who worshipped the mythical hero."

"Its quite obvious yes."

"Good, cause I don't like to repeat myself. So one of the tasks of Heracles was to kill the Hydra, dead giveaway to their hated rivals." Twilight took in his simple explanation, as it gave more depth to their situation.

"I think I can guess the end result of the story." She said as her mind began putting the pieces together.

"The Herculeans despise the Hydrans for worshiping a horrendous and evil monster that their god had supposedly killed, while the Hydrans hate the Herculeans for worshiping the man who killed _their_ god."

"Very pretty and smart, not too many like you out there you know." he complemented her.

"Probably a bad thing to mention that don't read the paper since I also lied about the names not showing up." Now he gave her a look of slight annoyance. "Oh c'mon, not you would have been too stubborn to even hint that you know something." now he gave her a confused look.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you would most likely not trust me with stuff like that."

"And why think that?"

"Because I can sense that you have some type of resentment towards these events, and the explanation you gave might, and probably will fool other people, but not me."

"And you know this how?"

"Magic is more than doing physical stuff you know." Donnie kicked himself mentally for not better training his mind for other magic users like her.

"well still I admire the way you bluffed some answers from me." twilight secretly smile since this was the first time she had bluffed her way through successfully, which was an inconvenience in the past, especially when they played poker at Applejack's home, and that's only when she wanted to play fair.

"Then out of nowhere Donnie asked. "Now time for me to ask something of you. What exactly is your job on the _infinity_?" Twilight perked up as she was caught off guard by the question, and then remembered her own tactics from before.

"Oh don't think that you can get to me so easily. Especially after I pulled the same stunt with you." She said for once being able to call someone's bluff, even if it wasn't at poker. But then Donnie said something that threw her off.

"well that may be true, but remember, you were taking a shot in the dark, and managed to hit something by chance, where I actually have some leverage." Twilight's blood turned cold as to what leverage he was talking about.

"And that would be?" she asked, wondering what she might have let slip.

"That where ever you and the other elements go, something like this always comes around, and don't even try to deny it; I'm a reporter, and an investigative one at that."

Now it was Twilights turn to mentally kick herself, or better yet, slam her head against the wall until she becomes a comatose vegetable for being so forgetful of their media attracting adventures. The invasion of Canterlot of the Necromancer Queen Chrysalis, the return of the Nightmare Witch, and a lost city that had popped up in the middle of nowhere in the north, Those are bound to turn a few heads.

With her secretive cover blown, she went in to detail of the scientist had made a ground breaking discovery, and how it had made her an immediate target, and why Celestia had had asked her to take her to a safe house in south Equestria.

"Sounds legitimate." Donnie said as they continued to move towards the closest escape pod bay, while looking for a couple of young women. "you mentioned she had a sister who came with you?"

"That's right."

"Do you know why?" he asked as looked like he thought up every possibility.

"I just assume because they can use her as leverage, that's one legit reason."

"yes that's always a reason." He said with light sarcasm, as though there was something obvious missing from her theory. Twilight caught this and said.

"What, that's not reason enough to keep some bodyguards with your sister?"

"Oh no it reason enough, I just always consider every possibility, despite its likeliness to happen."

"so there might be more to Rose's presence than just a tag along?" just then they heard sound emanating from the walls, a sound like someone wedging their way through sheet metal.

"Sounds like its coming from the vents." Twilight said as she put her ear to the wall.

"No shit Commodus." Said a familiar and very rude voice. A smile of relief spread through twilights face as had finally heard Rainbow Dash's well-fitting voice.

"Do you have to use language that could give a sailor a heart attack?" said yet another voice with a southern drawl.

"Applejack! Thank goodness you two got away safely." Twilight said with relief that was quickly dashed by AJs next words.

"Were not totally okay, sad to say Twi. I got clipped earlier." Twilights thoughts suddenly came back to Mitchell at what he said. Then a third voice had come up, one that they had just met.

"Guys I found a way out of here."

"Rose, Is that you?" before anyone could say anything, Donnie intervened saying.

"sorry to be this rude, though you might tell that may or may not be a lie, but I think we should prioritize getting your friends out?" after that remark, they went to look for a ventilation shaft to brake them out. Minutes later they were out, sitting in the hall. Twilight looked over their injuries, particularly Rainbow Dash, but all she had was a scrape on her shoulder. They both still had their cocktail dresses on, and they looked as torn and disheveled as you'd imagine, They both still had their cocktail dresses on, and they looked as torn and disheveled as you'd imagine, with Rainbow Dash having a bandage on her arm.

"How did you manage to escape?" Twilight asked once they had settled down.

"Well f it wasn't for AJ here I would be in the brig, at least what they were passing as the brig." Rainbow Dash said.

"When I had the chance I broke a man's arm and took his gun, and while I was running through all the commotion, I saw Rainbow here trying to fight of a couple of guy with a broken wine bottle. And while we were walking the halls we met up with a uniform, and got in a quick scuffle, and as you saw we didn't get out without a scratch." She indicated Rainbows arm. "After I patched her up as best I could, we continued walking, hoping to find a way around, that's when we met rose crawling in a vent."

"And I managed to help them keep away from anymore fighting." She finished off.

"Well what about you guys? Have you gotten anything from the terrorist?"

So Donnie and Twilight explained their situation to them, from the takeover to their plan.

"That actually makes some sense." Applejack said. "some of the terrorists that we ran in to had different uniforms."

"Has anyone called this up?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"That's what we're trying to do." Said Twilight. "This ship had been overpowered, and we're trying to escape and report it to be able to save everyone else."

"And how do you plan to do that?" rose asked, that prompted everyone to turn their head towards Donnie and 'twilight, making her turn to him, making him shift uncomfortably.

"Why look at me?" he finally asked awkwardly.

"You were the one who was dragging me around this damn ship trying to get to the outside. I assume you have had a plan from the start."

"What I told you was the plan I had so far, the rest I was making it up as I go." Twilight reactively face-palmed at trusting some random guy she barely knew, over the fact that he convinced her to leave her friends behind, albeit it was the best route to go.

"Well, at least I'm glad we managed to get his far without getting killed." Twilight said before looking at her friends. "What do you girls think?" Twilight asked them.

"As far as we gotten, I think it best to move on like we were." Said applejack. Twilight looked to Rainbow Dash who nodded in agreement, then rose


End file.
